ROCHESTER, NY—For its Regional Green Infrastructure Showcase (RGIS) sustainability project, the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) received the New York Water Environment Association, Inc. (NYWEA) Public Education Award for 2016. The awards ceremony took place at New York City’s Marriott Marquis on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 and accepting the award on behalf of the RMSC was Daniel J. Menelly, the Museum’s Chief Science Officer.
The Public Education Award recognizes NYWEA members for significant accomplishments in prompting awareness and understanding of water environment issues among other members and the general public through the development and implementation of public education programs.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award in recognition of the responsible water management practices and particularly the educational components that we have implemented with the help of many partners in the Rochester community,” said Menelly. “We are eager to build on this exciting work, and other opportunities for active research and demonstration of emerging technologies on the Museum campus. I accept this award on behalf of the RMSC as well as the many partners that made this project possible and thank the NYWEA for the great work they do in protecting our watershed.”
Through the RGIS project, community members experience several green infrastructure practices in action throughout the RMSC campus, with outdoor and indoor components and interpretive signage, and are also invited to take part in several educational workshops. Green infrastructure practices help local water quality by reducing the amount of stormwater runoff that enters the storm drains by implementing features that allow excess stormwater to soak back into the ground. The RMSC was one of the first locations in the Rochester area to install these innovative and eco-friendly practices. The project was made possible by the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation’s (EFC) Green Infrastructure Grant Program (GIGP), through New York State’s Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) and the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council.
Key partners include New York State, Monroe County, the Water Education Collaborative (WEC), the Rochester Institute of Technology, the design team including Barton & Loguidice, CJS Architects, Nancy Gong Glass Works and The Pike Co. as well as several others. Exploration of RMSC’s outdoor campus is free to the public.
For high-resolution images and additional information, contact Amanda Bayer, Marketing Communications Manager, RMSC at 585.697.1962 or abayer@rmsc.org or visit the Press / News section of our website at www.rmsc.org/press-news.
Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) includes the Science Museum, Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. Offering experiences at the Museum with more than 200 interactive exhibits, Planetarium with a 65-foot dome and Nature Center on 900 acres, the RMSC stimulates community interest in exploration. In addition, the more than 1.2 million RMSC collection items tell the story of Rochester’s past including its rich history of innovation and invention. RMSC receives major funding from Monroe County, where it is one of the top three most visited attractions serving children and families. For more information about RMSC, visit www.rmsc.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
